CHAPTER II - HEALTH SERVICES <<Back
 
b) Community Participation & Role of Voluntary Organizations
 
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AU : Sen Gupta NC
TI : Community participation in the tuberculosis programme.
SO : BULL IUAT 1972, 47, 102-106.
DT : Per
AB :

Several reasons for the failure to achieve the expected results in TB control, globally, are presented and discussed in detail with reference to the three basic components of a TB programme- BCG vaccination, case-finding and treatment. They include the failure of decision-makers and administrators responsible for formulating and implementing NTPs to establish proper and realistic priorities reflected in the choice of control measures and the allocation of available resources to them. For instance, many developing countries have opted for an expensive screening method (mass chest radiography) rather than achieving effective results by provision of basic health facilities within easy reach of everyone and by using direct microscopy sputum examinations. Several countries have focussed on construction of sanatoria when out-patient treatment has been proven to be as effective as institutional treatment. The failure to bring the TB programme to the most peripheral regions and to apply it on a country-wide basis, the failure to orient the consumer sufficiently to the services offered, and several socio-economic and patient factors have contributed to limited success in anti-TB efforts. Given this background, a community participation programme can help increase the success rate of TB programmes by using volunteers in case-finding and in reducing treatment default rate as demonstrated in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and Malaysia.

KEYWORDS: COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION; SRI LANKA.
 
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